1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to computers and to telephony and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses that allow a user to select and to receive custom ringtones for incoming telephone calls to a wireline telephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Custom ringtones are popular in wireless telephony. A wireless user can program a wireless telephone to provide different rings for incoming telephone calls. The user is typically provided a selection of ringtones, and the user associates the telephone number of the calling party with a specific ringtone. The user may even download a greater variety of ringtones from the World Wide Web. The custom ringtones differentiate the user's wireless telephone from another person's wireless telephone, and the custom ringtones alert the user to the identity of the calling party.
Although custom ringtones have become very popular, no similar service is commercially offered for wireline telephones. A wireline telephone has the same ring pattern for each incoming telephone call (although Ringmaster service allows a wireline telephone to have distinct ring patterns, a different telephone number must be dialed for ring pattern). There is, accordingly, a need in the art for custom ringtones for wireline telephones.